


Day 6 – Wartime

by moshimichi



Series: Arc V Rare Pair Week 2017 [6]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 10:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11507355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moshimichi/pseuds/moshimichi
Summary: Reiji goes down into the cells to offer their latest prisoner a deal.





	Day 6 – Wartime

Footsteps echoed down the long corridor, a steady staccato that ricocheted off the stone walls. Pace quick with a goal in mind, Reiji headed for the cell holding their biggest prisoner yet.

Ten years their kingdom had been fighting this war of blood and magic. Ten years since his father had run off and incited half the country into a large scale rebellion-turned-civil-war. The crazed king, they called him. The mad king. The king who sought to send his own people to the flames of death and ruin all because the crown princess had died from illness.

His lips tugged into a frown at the thought of his late sister. Ray had been nice enough, though the two royal siblings had never been close. But she hadn’t been all that remarkable. Not so remarkable that it justified how Leo’s sanity had snapped like a twig the moment she had passed. Then again, their father had always doted on Ray to an unreasonable level.

Reiji could only call Leo pathetic.

The prince finally came to a stop in front of the cell. Twisted bars of wrought iron enclosed the space, solid in their positions. Inside sat a single figure. The prisoner made no sign to recognize Reiji’s arrival. However, he did shift when the prince opened the door to the cell, shackles clinking as he shifted when Reiji stepped in.

Neither of them said anything, preferring to wait instead of breaking the silence. Reiji’s feet brought him forward until he stood in front of the other man, towering above him as he sat on the stone floor.

Yellow, cat-like eyes stared up at him with an unnatural glow, their brightness attributed to the magic overflowing from within his body. However, their glow was dimmer than usual.

Or at least he assumed, he mused, eyes trailing down to settle on a bare wrist. Red runes shone against pale skin. The symbols were painted on and yet they seemed to actually be a part of the man’s flesh, drawn in a way that they seemed to crawl and writhe with power. They sealed magic and also stole it, powering themselves with the drained energy.

Reira’s specialty.

Reiji felt a bit of pride well up. His younger brother had mastered runes in a short amount of time, a great accomplishment when the craft was both extremely difficult and complicated. And so soon after such a great accomplishment, he had achieved an even greater one by capturing the top soldier of his father’s army, the Demon Duelist Zarc.

“Y’know, Princey,” a voice rasped, breaking Reiji from his musings, “you could just take a picture. It’ll last longer, I promise you.”

Reiji looked up into tired eyes, though they seemed vaguely amused. He had heard Leo’s champion treated war and battle like games and entertainment, but to think that he would joke while he was in imprisonment…

“You’re surprisingly relaxed about this,” he observed. Zarc shrugged, causing the chains holding his wrists above his head to jangle.

“Not much else to do like this,” the man replied. “I can’t escape and feeling sorry for myself is just plain unproductive. Ah, but I’m still reeling a little from the shock that I was caught by that kiddy prince of yours. Cute kid, by the way. Merciless with magic though.”

One brow rose at Zarc’s rambling. It almost seemed like he was restless and lonely from being in the cell all by himself for so long.

“Zarc,” Reiji interrupted. Zarc’s voice cut off instantly and he peered up in curiosity.

“Yeah?”

“I have a proposition for you.” At the word ‘proposition,’ Zarc waggled his eyebrows and gave a toothy grin. All of which Reiji coolly ignored. “You will give us information on Akaba Leo’s military and tactics and we will spare you an execution.”

“And instead I’ll get a cushy life in this cold dungeon cell, right?” he drawled. He snorted and leaned back against the wall casually. “I don’t think so. Besides, you know I pretty much decimated a big part of their army. I’m not a part of them anymore.”

“Nonetheless, you have knowledge on their remaining forces,” Reiji countered firmly. “You know what kinds of strategies they would come up with. You have useful information despite your betrayal and we _will_ get it out of you. Whether you cooperate or not may decide your sentencing.”

“Bite me, windbag.”

The prince didn’t react, still staring down at the prisoner. Still waiting for a proper reply. Zarc stared back, an almost thoughtful look on his face, before he rolled his eyes.

“Alright, fine. Come closer.” Reiji didn’t make a move except to raise his eyebrows skeptically. Did Zarc really think him to be that stupid? Zarc gave a loud huff and added, “The walls have ears like you wouldn’t believe and this is a really big secret, so _come closer_.”

Warily, Reiji lowered himself down to one knee. When Zarc opened his mouth, breath a bare whisper, the prince leaned in closer to hear better. Then, a sudden rush of air had him jerking back just in time for sharp teeth to barely miss his face.

The demon duelist had lunged forward, jaws snapping shut right where Reiji’s throat had been. The younger male landed on his rear, muscles frozen in shock. Wide eyes stared at Zarc. The prisoner grinned, Reiji’s red scarf now proudly clenched between his teeth. Strangely enough, in the dim lighting, the red color of the scarf made it look far too much like blood spilling from Zarc’s mouth. Had Reiji been any slower, it would have been _his_ blood on his lips instead.

The cloth fell to the floor as Zarc let go, loud laughter echoing in his stone cage. Those yellow eyes shone with malicious glee and his grin was far more manic than was any good. The man licked his lips, a dangerous hunger on his face.

“You better be careful, my dear prince. Let down your guard and I will _eat you alive_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on tumblr [here](http://moshimichi.tumblr.com/post/163008159081/day-6-wartime).


End file.
